Etymologically
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notable

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈnəʊtəbl̩/ (UK); /ˈnoʊtəbl̩/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English notabile, later notable,[2] borrowed from Old French notable (“well-known, remarkable”) and directly from Latin notābilis, noteworthy, extraordinary,[2][3][4] from notāre, to mark, note, from nota, a mark, sign (see note),[3][5] with the suffix -able.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Worthy of note, important: about 1340, in Rolle's Psalter,[2][6] the mid-14th century in Etymonline.[3]

Semantic evolution

Of persons, well-known, prominent or worthy of respect, it is from the early 15th century.[3][6] Easily noticed or conspicuous is from 1533 and now obsolete,[6] and noticeable or perceptible from 1551, now only in chemistry.[6] In the 17th century it was also applied to industrious, energetic people.[6][4] The noun, a person of distinction, is from about 1447 in Barnhart[2] and by 1815 in Etymonline.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1340 – worthy of note.[2]
  • early 15th century – of persons, prominent.[3]
  • c. 1447 – a notable person (noun).[2]
  • 1533 – conspicuous.[6]
  • 1666 – energetic.[6]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Worthy of notice; remarkable.
  2. Distinguished or eminent.

Noun

  1. A person of distinction or reputation.

Word family

  • notableness
  • notably
  • nonnotable
  • notability
  • unnotable

Usage notes

In Scots and northern English dialect, notable was said of a woman who was active, industrious and thrifty.[7]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)